Our executive team

Margie’s career spans over 20 years in executive roles in the public sector in Wellington and Auckland. This includes roles at the Ministry of Health (Deputy Director-General of Health), Counties Manukau District Health Board, Capital & Coast District Health Board, Labour Market Policy Group (Department of Labour) and Health Funding Authority. Margie started her career in the State Services Commission.

Margie's most recent role was as Chief Executive Officer, Counties Manukau Health. During this time, Margie led the organisation through major incidents including a measles epidemic, Whakaari White Island erupting, and was lead CEO of the Northern Region’s COVID-19 outbreak response.

Margie has a BCom from University of Auckland and an MPA (Exec) from Victoria University of Wellington. She is a voluntary Chair of World Vision New Zealand.

Fepulea’i is an honorific (or chief title) from her family village of Sale’aula, Savai’i, Samoa.

Fionnagh brings significant experience in large-scale integration of health services and has led the development of single health services in Queensland, Australia and the greater Wellington region, creating high performing teams and leading sustainable transformation in partnership with clinicians, consumers and whānau. She is a decisive health system leader with highly developed strategic thinking and transformational leadership skills, and has a strong drive to deliver equity and service excellence.

Fionnagh brings a clinical background to her work. She initially trained as a registered general nurse followed by qualification as a mental health and addiction professional. Through this pathway, she progressed to complete the NHS Management Development Programme and longer term has led large and complex health services in Aotearoa New Zealand and Queensland.

Before moving into the role of interim Regional Director Northern at Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand, Fionnagh was the Chief Executive of Capital & Coast and Hutt Valley DHBs from 2019 to 2022. Prior to this, she was Health and Specialist Services Chief Executive of Queensland’s Children’s Hospital and its state-wide Health Service.

Fionnagh is a Member of the Health Roundtable and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Fionnagh has also been Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland and a Past President of Children's Healthcare Australasia.

Responsible for the day-to-day care and operational delivery of safe and quality hospital and specialist services across the motu. This team will drive change in the integration of hospital and specialist networks and includes the establishment of national and regional clinical and service networks. This team leads the implementation of the system shift “Everyone will have access to high quality emergency or specialist care when they need it.”

Hospital and Specialist Services holds responsibility for the staff and services provided nationally in our hospitals, community, specialist care services and networks, and mental health and addiction services. All local hospital and specialist services report to one of four Regional Directors to ensure national priorities are delivered in way that works for local communities.

This team works in close partnership with Te Aka Whai Ora | Māori Health Authority to ensure that Māori health outcomes and equity of access is improved. This group also works to improve consumer and workplace experiences. All hospital and specialist networks will work closely with established Localities, Iwi Māori Partnership Boards and local community providers to support seamless access to care across care pathways.

Abbe Anderson brings diverse experience across hospital and primary care, including two decades leading complex system reforms.

In her previous role, Abbe worked with the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health in Brisbane, supporting the development of community-controlled commissioning frameworks for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. She is also a director on the boards of Beyond Blue, Australia's most recognised mental health charity. Abbe brings considerable experience in a diverse range of hospital and primary care systems, including two decades leading complex system reforms.

Whilst CEO of the Brisbane North Primary Health Network (PHN), Abbe successfully led the organisation through two significant government reforms to transition from a Division of General Practice to a Medicare Local and then to a PHN that commissions primary care services for a population of over one million people.  As the first Medicare Local in Australia, she oversaw the team that developed the initial commissioning principles and frameworks that later formed the basis for many of the Australian Government Department of Health's national commissioning policies that now guide the work of the Primary Health Networks across 31 regions of Australia.

Originally from Colorado in the USA, Abbe is a dual citizen of New Zealand and Australia and has undertaken executive study at Otago University and worked alongside rural hospitals in Te Waipounamu earlier in her career. She is passionate about equity and self-determination, is driven by a deep curiosity and excited by ingenuity.

Responsible for integrated system and planning, weaving together nationally consistent services with locally identified priorities to ensure the health system serves community and whānau needs. The Commissioning team leads the design and funding of primary and community health services with the goal of achieving the most effective, efficient, accessible services delivered closer to home. The team is responsible for the implementation and support of the localities approach to place-based planning and works closely with Te Aka Whai Ora and Iwi Māori Partnership Boards in recognition of our Te Tiriti responsibilities. The Commissioning Team also co-chairs the Regional Integration Teams alongside Te Aka Whai Ora, and supports the Secretariat to drive regional integration across Te Whatu Ora, Te Aka Whai Ora and the wider sector. The team employs contemporary commissioning principles to ensure the health system delivers for all New Zealanders and remains fit-for-purpose both now and into the future.

Dr Nick Chamberlain was Northland DHB Chief Executive for nearly 12 years. He has specialist qualifications in Medical Administration and General Practice. He has previously had roles as General Manager of Clinical Service at Northland DHB, General Manager of Planning and Funding at Capital & Coast DHB, Clinical Advisor and GP Liaison, Northland DHB, and 11 years in his own General Practices.

He has held DHB lead Chief Executive roles in Primary Care and Public Health. Over the past few years, he has tried to provide some leadership and support for our Public Health Units, and with Vui Mark Gosche has led a small team promoting effective public policy and legislation.

He looks forward to building a strong and effective team to strengthen and nationalise our public health services. In addition, he wants to broaden the reach of public and population health through our work with iwi, Māori and Pacifica providers into all our communities and localities. He is also excited to work closely with the Māori Health Authority and the Public Health Agency.

Responsible for operational planning and delivery of public health promotion, prevention, intelligence and health protection services. 

Guided by the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022, the National Public Health Service provides services that are nationally planned, regionally coordinated and locally tailored. This team contributes to the reform system shift “All people will be able to access a comprehensive range of support in their local communities to help them stay well”, by ensuring the delivery of public health services nationally, regionally and locally keep communities well.

All local public health services report to one of four Regional Directors who report to the National Director. The service works in partnership with Te Aka Whai Ora (Māori Health Authority) and the Public Health Agency within Manatū Hauora (Ministry of Health).

Most recently the interim National Director Hospital & Specialist Services for Te Whatu Ora, Dr Bramley was previously the Chief Executive of Waitematā DHB for more than 10 years – serving a population of around 625,000 people and a staff of 8,700. 

Dr Bramley has held a number of senior roles across the health system over the years, including being a member of the national health committee, national ethics committee and most recently a member of the ministerial review committee for continuous improvement for the COVID-19 response. He was also a member of the Māori review group advising on the health and disability reforms.

Alongside his executive commitments, Dr Bramley is a practising public health medicine specialist, an Examiner at the NZ College of Public Health Medicine, an adjunct Professor of Health at AUT, and Chair of the Health Quality & Safety Commission. 

Responsible for the diffusion and spread of proven improvement and innovation across the system. This team supports frontline delivery by implementing national collaboratives and improvement projects that reduce unwanted variation, implementation of equity improvement initiatives and supporting service and model of care changes in our system.

This team is kaitiaki for ensuring consumer and whānau voice informs the way Te Whatu Ora designs and delivers services. This team provides the population health modelling, analytics and analysis that supports decision making and improvement work. This team also undertakes evaluation and supports reviews for performance improvement where commissioned.

The Service Improvement and Innovation team is also responsible for identifying what is working well locally and internationally and identifying national programmes of action to reduce poor outcomes and improve equity and quality of care. This team contributes to all System Shifts.

Service Improvement and Innovation works in partnership with Te Aka Whai Ora where Māori equity improvement initiatives are jointly governed with Te Aka Whai Ora.   

Markerita (Meg) most recently held the role of Chief of Strategy at Te Whatu Ora - Te Toka Tumai Auckland. She has a very strong focus on transformation of health structures to reflect Te Tiriti in both action and equity. As lead for Performance Improvement, she was instrumental in delivering new equity approaches within planned care delivery in Auckland.

Markerita has also worked as the Director of Pacific Health for the Northern Region Health Coordination Centre where she led the regional (from Northland to Counties Manukau) approach to the Pacific health response to COVID-19 and partnered with the Pacific Provider Collective to develop a regional commissioning framework to deliver adaptive models of care. She is a partnerships specialist and has a background in law and Pacific development.

She is experienced in change leadership, Pacific health equity and designing new models of care with communities.

Responsible for Pacific health equity leadership and influencing transformation across the system.

The team is accountable for Pacific commissioning and intelligence; workforce development; provider development; Pacific hospital care teams and ensuring localities work effectively for Pacific populations. The team ensures that funding flows directly to Pacific providers and communities, and delivery is responsive. The team leads the implementation of Ola Manuia – the Pacific Health Plan.

Accountable for building critical Pacific health foundations and accelerating gains in priority areas to improve the health of Pacific families and communities.

The service works closely with Te Aka Whai Ora on system changes for equity that will benefit both Māori and Pacific health and wellbeing outcomes. This team supports all system shifts to deliver change for Pacific families.

Dr Richard Sullivan brings a wealth of experience as a medical oncologist and was Director Northern Region Cancer and Blood Services for 17 years.

Dr Sullivan is regional clinical lead cancer, the Chair of National AYA Cancer and is a director at Canopy Cancer Care.

Responsible for effective and high-performing clinical governance across the whole system, ensuring excellent quality and safe care delivery and experience for all patients and whānau. This team ensures clinical and professional input is engaged on strategy, service design and its delivery.

Provides professional leadership, including credentialing, scopes of practice, performance, conduct and professional development of clinical staff.

Partners with service leadership and provides leadership to national, regional and local clinical networks. This team supports all system shifts by ensuring clinical advice and expertise underpins all decision making.

Working in partnership with Te Aka Whai Ora to ensure that equity of outcomes are improved.

Meet the Clinical Leadership Team

Patrick will lead the transformation of our health system as we continue to deliver the intent of The Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022. The New Zealand Health system is highly complex and adaptive system, and needs to change to ensure everyone in New Zealand can lead long and healthy lives no matter who or where they are. The use of new, emerging, and innovative digital solutions will underpin much of the Transformation.

Patrick has more than 25 years' experience leading significant transformation and change initiatives in large organisations in Singapore, Australia, and Europe. His experience includes using digital technology to deliver exceptional customer outcomes in both public and private sector. Most recently he worked on the Business Transformation programme at Inland Revenue, New Zealand.

Rosalie Percival has over 20 years’ experience in executive level financial and accounting roles, the majority in healthcare settings. 

Rosalie is an inclusive leader and brings strong sector leadership to our executive team. She is very aware of the mandated responsibilities of being entrusted with such significant funding, while being equally mindful of how we use that financial investment to improve equity of health outcomes across Aotearoa New Zealand.

In a career which also includes banking and insurance, Rosalie’s most recent roles prior to joining us as CFO have included serving as chief financial officer for Te Whatu Ora Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley, and Auckland and Waitematā.

Rosalie is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. Outside her financial career path, she has also taken a keen interest in sustainable development and business practices.

Oversees the structure and systems for national and regional financial management functions. The team works closely with the Chief Financial Officer of Te Aka Whai Ora to ensure alignment of financial reporting. This group drives change and supports all system shifts through high-quality financial management advice and support. This team is responsible for the efficient discharge of national transaction payment processing systems, informing and monitoring budget performance, and enabling change through good quality advice on benefits and value in decision making.

All finance functions and teams report nationally to the Chief Financial Officer.

Leigh will lead the implementation of digital technology and data that improves access to care for people who need it most, enhance our people’s experience of work, and supports our strategic aims and key system shifts. He will work in close partnership with Te Aka Whai Ora – Māori Health Authority to ensure the principles of Te Tiriti and Māori data sovereignty are put into practice and opportunities for equity through digital means are enabled. 

The Chief Data and Digital role is critically important in bringing about the system shifts required to achieve the aims of the health reforms, in particular developing a greater use of digital services to provide more care in homes and communities.  

Leigh brings significant experience in digital health leadership, including leading complex, multi-year change programmes across diverse teams and delivery challenges. 

He joins us from Accenture in Australia, a global professional services company, where he was the Health Industry Lead for Australia and New Zealand and the wider Asia Pacific region. 

Leigh holds a M. Commerce (Hons), University of New South Wales, and a B. Engineering (Hons), University of Tasmania.  

Data and Digital spans digital health, data and technology from clinical systems to data services, systems infrastructure and cyber security. This team aims to enhance patient care, bring care closer to home and support equitable health outcomes through secure, accurate and evidenced-based use of data and technology.

The team supports operations delivery, enhances communications, promotes and improves community partnering, and evolves innovative capabilities for the future. This group leads the system shift “Digital services will provide more New Zealanders with the care they need in their homes and local communities”. 

Through effective and efficient digital services, and by working in close partnership with Te Aka Whai Ora, this group ensures Te Whatu Ora has the information and communication technologies to serve health professionals, patients and communities. They help us connect across teams and enable us to produce intelligence that facilitates better decision-making, and empowers whānau, consumers and communities with access to and ownership of their own information to make decisions about their care. 

Andrew joins the Te Whatu Ora whānau in April 2023 from Whakarongorau Aotearoa / New Zealand Telehealth Services. Their purpose, “To give everyone in Aotearoa the opportunity for wellness”, aligns perfectly with Te Whatu Ora’s vision and approach on equity.  Andrew was the founding CEO of Whakarongorau Aotearoa and led the organisation’s surge in people numbers, from 100 in 2015 (at launch) to over 4,000, at the peak of the organisation’s COVID response.

Throughout his tenure, Andrew has achieved significant transformational change, improvement in health equity for Māori, and focussed on leadership development. This is experience which will stand him in good stead as we continue our journey towards achieving Pae Ora, Healthy futures.

Andrew started his Health career with St John Ambulance, after graduating from Victoria University with a Bachelor of Commerce. His impressive Health pedigree experience spanning nearly 20 years has seen him lead capability and operational development in virtual health, primary care and ambulance, with a stint  in the commercial sector working in health start-ups.

Enables Te Whatu Ora to recruit, retain, support and grow a diverse workforce that reflects our communities, including developing and training the health workforce we need into the future. This team supports all leadership in the implementation of system shift “Health and care workers will be valued and well trained for the future health system”. The effect is to be realised across the whole health sector.

The leadership of Communications and Engagement reports to this function.  This team also includes Health and Safety, Emergency Management, Workplace Relations and Organisation Development functions to support Te Whatu Ora.

Responsible for supporting inclusive leadership and culture by equipping leaders to support their teams and undertake engagement with employee representative groups. This Group supports line managers and leaders with advice and support that aims to improve workplace experiences for staff.

The team supports regional and local delivery through a HR business partnership model and works with Te Aka Whai Ora to ensure we are increasing and supporting our Māori health workforce. 

As a former Royal Engineer officer in the British Army, Jeremy led a number of specialist units delivering critical infrastructure and large-scale construction programmes both on operational deployments and in the UK defence estate, for which he was awarded an MBE in 2007. He moved to New Zealand with his family in 2009 and was employed by the infrastructure consultancy GHD before moving to Downer as the General Manager Water. He also spent time at Air New Zealand as a member of the Senior Leadership Team responsible for ground handling operations in New Zealand and around the world. Before joining Te Whatu Ora, Jeremy was GM Infrastructure Delivery for Crown Infrastructure Partners, delivering a number of major infrastructure programmes receiving $6 billion of NZ Government stimulus funding.

Jeremy holds two engineering degrees, a Master of Business Administration, is a Chartered Engineer and is a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (UK).

Ensures investment in health facilities and other forms of infrastructure is improving the quality, accessibility and equity of health care across the country, while ensuring local, regional and national requirements are considered. This team contributes to all system shifts by ensuring that capital investment in infrastructure is informed by and supports the delivery of healthcare. 

This is achieved through the ongoing asset management, renewal and maintenance of our health infrastructure assets across the country and by managing the multi-billion-dollar infrastructure investment capital pipeline. This includes the design, procurement and delivery of new infrastructure and facilities across Aotearoa New Zealand. 

The team works in closely with Te Aka Whai Ora.

With an early career in education, commercial banking, and pharmaceutical manufacturing, Ramon has spent the last decade in the public health sector as the Chief Audit Executive for healthAlliance. He managed internal audit services across the Northern Region preparing various audit plans and budgets and reporting to seven audit committees.  

Alongside his responsibilities at healthAlliance, Ramon has also played a key role in the development of Te Whatu Ora’s national audit charter and internal audit plan prior to going live in 2022. This included identification of risks introduced through the transition period. 

In his current role, Ramon intends to strengthen in-house capabilities in risk management and advisory. He will be hard at work establishing internal audit as an independent and trusted adviser to Management and the Board.  

Ramon holds an MBA from Southern Methodist University, a Master of Science (Accounting) from the University of Texas, and a Bachelor of Science (Management) from Ateneo de Manila University. Ramon is also a Chartered Accountant with CAANZ, a Certified Internal Auditor with IIA-Global, was named Internal Auditor of the Year 2017, and recently elected to the Board of IIA-NZ.   

Outside of Te Whatu Ora, Ramon spends time volunteering as honorary auditor at not-for-profit organisations, and mentoring up-and-coming auditors.  

Ramon reports directly to the Chief Executive and also directly advise the Chairs of the Board and of the Finance & Audit Committee; ensuring an independency from executive functions and objectivity in the work completed for the CEO or the Board.  

This role is responsible for delivering quality advice to the CEO and Board, leading the Assurance Audit & Risk functions (which incorporates Internal Audit, Provider Audit, Certification Audit, Health Payment Integrity Audit, and Risk Management) at a national level.   

Peter joins us from Te Pātaka Whaioranga Pharmac where he has had three stints, most recently as Director Engagement & Implementation.

He is passionate about the health reforms and the unique opportunity offered – for all involved – to reshape the system to better meet New Zealanders’ needs. With whānau whakapapa to Tikitiki in Tairawhiti, Peter is committed to achieving health equity for Māori and other priority populations. He will bring a strong focus on partnership with Te Aka Whai Ora – Māori Health Authority, Manatū Hauora – Ministry of Health, and our other health sector stakeholders.

The office supports the Chief Executive, ELT, Board and Board committees to effectively carry out their work and deliver on organisation priorities. This includes coordinating Te Whatu Ora’s engagement with Ministers and government processes (including briefings and Official Information Act requests).

Enhancing alignment across the organisation, in close partnership with Te Aka Whai Ora, to meet the Government’s and Board’s expectations and achieve the aims of the health reforms.

Advises on opportunities and risk (including legal and privacy).

Provides secretariat services to support key decision-making arrangements. Understanding performance and identifying improvements; and leading or facilitating work on strategic issues that span across Te Whatu Ora.

This role is the Executive lead of Tikanga to both Te Aka Whai Ora and Te Whatu Ora’s Chief Executives and Executive Leadership Teams. Providing oversight on tikanga policies and practices. The Chief of Tikanga provides tikanga and cultural advice to all executives and supports leadership across Te Whatu Ora.